Grindleford

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Grindleford is a village in the county of Derbyshire, in the East Midlands of England.

The nearest city is Sheffield. The centre of Sheffield is about 7 miles away, but for rail travellers, the suburb of Totley is less than three miles away at the other end of the Totley Rail Tunnel. (This is the seconds-longest rail tunnel in the UK: first-time travellers from the Sheffield direction enter the tunnel in the suburbs and are amazed to find themselves in the middle of Derbyshire countryside as soon as they emerge.)

Grindleford rail station (confusingly located in Upper Padley, half a mile away)is at the Eastern Portal of the rail tunnel - on the scenic Hope Valley train line between Sheffield and Manchester.

Grindleford only became a parish in 1987, merging the parishes of Eyam Woodlands, Stoke, Nether Padley and Upper Padley.

[edit] Attractions

Padley Hall was the home of the 'Padley Martyrs'. In 1588 Nicholas Garlick and Robert Ludlam, who were staying at Padley, and had trained as Catholic priests, were hanged, drawn and quartered in Derby. Padley Hall is mostly in ruins, although part of it, the Chapel survives, being restored in 1933, a pilgrimage takes place every year in July.
Grindleford Station Cafe (in the old station house) - a climbers'/walkers' (and occasional Chelsea Tractor Family in bone-dry Gore Tex) cafe famous throughout the UK outdoors community for its 0% Fat-Free food and plain-speaking handwritten notices banning (amongst other things) "uncontrollable children", "mobile phones", and "human fireguards".
Maynard Arms Hotel and Bar. Top of the station approach road: a little more refined than the station cafe, a posh hotel with a restaurant and a friendly real-ale bar.
National Trust Longshaw Estate Visitor Centre

[edit] Walking and CLimbing

The Peak District National Park scenery around Grindleford is spectacular. During warm weather the town is very popular with walkers and climbers enjoying the nearby Derbyshire Dales, Padley Gorge and Hope Valley.

The beckside paths up through the wooded Padley Gorge are famous - and make a good start for short rail-based circular walks through beautiful scenery with the potential to take in three pubs (Fox House, Maynard Arms, Grouse Inn) and two caffs (Station Cafe and the National Trust visitor centre).
The flat riverside (Derwent) walk between Grindleford and Hathersage stations is short, easy and very beautiful. A good season-start gentle leg-stretcher with a pub and a train station at each end (and more pubs in Hathersage village).
At the other extreme, the famous gritstone edges that were the nursery for many of Britain's famous climbers are all around (Stanage, Froggat, Curbar ... ).